Environmentally clean hydrogen fuel presents a number of advantages over commonly utilized petroleum-based derivatives.1-2 In particular, hydrogen can be generated by direct electrolysis of water upon irradiating a semiconductor material with light of energy greater than its energy band gap.3-12 A strategy to improve the photocatalytic efficacy of bare semiconductors and improve the sluggish kinetics of the oxidation reaction has been the incorporation of noble metals onto the semiconductor surface.13-24 The Au—TiO2 system has been effective at enhancing and shifting the photoactivity to irradiation of longer wavelengths through relatively more efficient electron transfer processes involved in redox reactions.25-31 The major drawbacks that limit the applicability of Au—TiO2 composites are aging and/or deactivation effects arising from prolonged exposure to irradiating light.32-35 Thus, there remains a need to develop photocatalysts that efficiently catalyze water splitting and other reactions with good long term stability under conditions of use.